Cabinet



March 14, 1939. H. STEPHENS 2,150,640

CABINET Filed Sept. 3, 1956 62 as 5/ i h: Bnmu ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 14, 1 939 CABINET Homer Stephens, St. Louis, Mo., assignor to S. G. Adams Company, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application September 3, 1936, Serial No. 99.263

4 Claims.

The present invention relates generally to cabinets, and more particularly to containers for holding and maintaining soft drinks, beer, and the like, at a low temperature.

An object of the present invention is to provide a cabinet which is so constructed as to render the inner lining or inner receptacle readily removable for replacement.

Another object is to provide a cabinet having a roll cover, whereby access may be easily gained into any part thereof.

Another object is to provide a flexible cover for a cooling cabinet which is adapted to be selfsealing. Another object is to provide a cabinet which is complete in having as a unit all of the elements necessary to maintain soft drinks, beer, and the like, at a low temperature, and in a condition for individual consumption.

Another object is to provide a cabinet which has the bottle-receiving compartment spaced from the floor so as to facilitate cleaning therebeneath.

Another object is to provide a cabinet cheap to manufacture, easily installed, and capable of being used for a variety of purposes.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention showing one of the roll cover members withdrawn.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the 'device shown in Fig. 1, the parts being in the same relative positions.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, certain parts being broken away to better illustrate the device.

Fig. 4 is a section on the line l4 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing more particularly by reference numerals, I0 indicates generally an exterior cabinet frame or container. The frame I!) includes two side plates II, a first end plate I 2 and a second end plate I3. Adjacent each of the end plates I2 and I3 there is a secondary or false end plate Id. The side plates II, the end plates l2 and I3, and the false end plate I 4 are each inwardly turned along the vertical edges thereof at I5, I6, and I1, respectively, to effect flanges. These flanges I5, I6, and I1 aredisposed in abutting relation, as is shown at I8 in Fig. 1, and are welded or otherwise connected together to form a finished joint and to produce a compact, firm unit. The side plates I I and the false end plates I4 have their lower edges inturned to provide 58 flanges I9 and 20, respectively. A bottom 2| for the exterior cabinet comprising the two plate members 22 and 23 rests upon the flanges I9 and 20, and is connected thereto by bolts 24, or the like. The plate members 22 and 23 have their contiguous edges flanged, as at 45, to provide additional reinforcing means for the bottom.

Legs 28 and 29 of substantially quarter circular cross-sections are formed as integral portions of the end plate I2, which extends as a full plate from adjacent the top of the cabinet to adjacent a supporting surface as a floor. The end plate I3 likewise extends substantially the full height of the cabinet to provide an end sheet portion 21 and the legs 30 and 3!. The legs 35! and 3| are braced by individual flanged triangun larly shaped plates 26, which are connected to the plate members 23 and a respective leg by bolts 26, or the like. Additional supporting legs 32 and 33 of the same cross-section as the legs 28 and 29 are disposed beneath and are connected to the plate member 22, and serve to define two corners of a compartment for enclosing a motor, the purpose of which will be subsequently de scribed. The legs 32 and 33 are connected by an integral plate portion 3l' having louvers 3i therein.

Removably connected to the legs 28 and 32 is a plate 35 having two vertical spaced rows of louvers 36 therein. This plate 35 may be removably held in place by any desired fastening means, as the catch 36'. Likewise, a plate 38 having the louvers 3B is removably connected to the legs 29 and 33. The end plate I 2 in its lower central portion 39 is provided with louvers 39. The plates 35 and 38 and the plate portions 31 and 39 form a substantially square compartment to receive the aforementioned motor. A substantially square plate 40 having upstanding flanges 3| extending around its periphery serves as a bottom for the compartment defined by the louvered plates and plate portions and is connected to the legs 28, 29, 32, and 33 and to the plate portions 31 and 39 by bolts 43, or the like. The legs 28, 29, 32, and 33 and the plate portions 31 and 39 are inwardly flanged as at M to pro vide a seat to cooperate with the bolts 43, or the like, in securing the plate 40 in place. At each of its corners adjacent the said legs the plate 43 has circular openings through which extend sup porting rubber bumpers 45. The bumpers 45 are secured to small plates 43 which, in turn, are bolted or otherwise secured to the bottom plate 43, as at 41. The motor and associated elements (not shown) rest upon the plate 46 as a support ill and are accessible by the simple expedient of removing the louvered plate 35.

The exterior cabinet frame H3 is adapted to receive and contain a removable receptacle, genorally designated 56, which is substantially rectangular in cross-section in the present embodimerit and includes a bottom 5|, side walls 52, and end walls 53, all of which are connected together as by welding, or the like, to provide an integral receptacle. The receptacle 5 3, of course, may be stamped from one piece of material, if desired. The receptacle 5% is spaced from the exterior compartment HI by insulation 55. maintained in predetermined position relative to the exterior compartment 18 by connecting the upper edges of the end members 53 to downwardly extending flanges 57 of the false end plates M by means of bolts 56, or the like. The bolts 55 may be secured in threaded holes in the end members 53, if desired.

A cooling unit, generally designated as, is located within the receptacle 58 and comprises a sealed, flat, rectangular box 6! which contains a brine, or other solution, and which further holds the circuitously disposed piping 62, which enters and leaves the box 6! by means of the sealed connections 53 and M, respectively. The piping 52 extends through a slot 65 disposed near the top of the end members 53 and then passes downwardly through the insulation 55 and through a slot 56 in the bottom section 22, whence it connects with the aforementioned motor shown). Within the tubing 52, of course, is a cooling medium of any desired variety, which is circulated by means of the motor. If desired, more than one of the units 60 may be inserted within the receptacle 50. V

A top is provided for the cabinet which is of a distinct and novel construction and is generally designated 68. The top. 58 includes an inte gral continuous exterior shell '59, which is of one cross-section along the dimensions paralleling the side plates I I and is of another cross-section along the dimensions paralleling the ends 52 and i3, as can be readily grasped by an inspection of Figs. 4 and 3, respectively. The shell 89 is con-- nected to the side plates H by bolts ii or the like, which preferably fasten into threaded holes provided in the side plates H, and is provided along these longitudinal dimensions with shelf flanges H, for a purpose to be described. The transverse dimensions of the shell 59 are rolled, as at 52, along the upper edges, and have the members 13 welded, or otherwise fixed, adjacent the lower edges to provide the pockets M, which are adapted to enclose the upper edges of the end plates 12 and l3. 7

The closure proper for the cabinet comprises two flexible members, generally designated S5, of refined ship-lap construction. Each member 75 includes a main cross piece T6, which supports a handle TE, and a number of cross pieces E8, each of a cross-section shown in Fig. 3, which includes the curved edges 82 and the vertical edges 83. The cross pieces '18 are connected to each other and to the cross piece 75 by means of transversely disposed strips 13 of canvas, or other material, and are so shaped and interfitted as to be self-sealing. The composite clo-' sure members '15 are adapted to rest upon and slide along the flanges H of the shell 59, each closing substantially half of the cabinet. During the process of sliding closure members 75 to open positions, the connected cross pieces 73 move downwardly overupper portions 542 of the It is (not false plates M to a position between the false plates l4 and the end plates 12 or 13, as the case may be. In order to maintain the closure member 75 in position upon the flanges H, there are provided clips 80 which are secured to the cross pieces 76 by screws 81, or the like, and which are adapted to abut against the lower surfaces of thefianges ll, as is clearly shown in Fig.4. I TI'l iis cover prevents the escape of cool air from the receptacle 50.

I It is apparent that the present cabinet, which has been detailed above, provides certain advantages which facilitate a successful commercial use of the device. Of primary importance is the fact that the receptacle 5! can be removed for the insertion of a new receptacle when the old one becomes damaged, or in any way rendered unserviceable. This feature is important, inasmuch as the interior receptacle of a cabinet of this nature becomes rusty and unserviceable in a relatively short period of time as compared with the rest of the cabinet, due to the fact'that it is subjected to the ravages of water, salt solutions, and the like. To remove the receptacle 5B, the screws or fastening means it! are removed and the complete top assemblage 58 lifted from the body of the cabinet. the piping connections 63 and 6d are released, the bolts 55, or the like, are removed, and the false plates M are snapped back over the end members 53, whereupon the receptacle 5!! can readily and easily be lifted from its position upon the insulation 55. Further advantages reside in the fact that a space is provided between the bottom 2! and the floor so that dirt, and the like, 'may be kept from beneath the cabinet and so that several cases of soft drinks, beer, and the like, may be kept therebeneath. The whole cabinet construction, except the sliding cover members 75, is preferably of light gauge steel, or the like, so fabricated as to produce a sturdy lightweight cabinet, the various structural features of which form a part of the present invention. 'It is, of course, possible to construct the cover elements E8 of metal, but they are preferably of wood.

It is thus apparent that there has been provided a cabinet which incorporates all of the advantages sought. It is to be understood that the foregoing description and the accompanying drawing have been given by way of illustration and example and not for limitation, the invention being limited only by the following claims.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. A cabinet comprising an exterior frame including ends, sides, a bottom, and a top including flexible members adapted to close said cabinet in one position, means to support said frame, and a false end disposed inwardly of and near each'of said ends, said flexible members being adapted to rest between the ends and false ends when said cabinet is open, said bottom being supported by said false ends and said sides, said top being removably supported by said ends and said sides.

2. A cabinet comprising'an exterior frame including ends, sides, a bottom, and a top, means to support said frame, and a false end disposed inwardly of and near each of said ends, said bottom being supported by said false ends and said sides, and said top being removably supported by said ends and said sides, said top including a shell having inwardly directed flanges along two opposed sides, and flexible members adapted to slide thereon to open or close a central space defined by the shell, said members in said opening movement adapted to slide into the spaces defined by the said false ends and the said ends.

3. A cabinet comprising an exterior frame including ends, sides, a bottom, and a top, means to support said frame, and a false end disposed inwardly of and near each of said ends, and said top being removably supported by said ends and said sides, said top including flexible members adapted to be moved into and out of the space between the ends and false ends during opening and closing of the cabinet, and a receptacle within said frame spaced from the false ends, bottom, and sides thereof by insulation and being fixed relative thereto by a removable connection between end walls of the receptacle and the said false ends, said receptacle being removable from said frame after displacing the said top and disconnecting the said connection.

4. A cabinet comprising an exterior frame including ends, sides, a bottom, and a top, means to support said frame, a false end disposed inwardly of and near each of said ends, said bottom being supported by said false ends and said sides, and said top being removably supported by said ends and said sides, said top including a shell having inwardly directed flanges along two opposed sides, flexible members adapted to slide thereon to open or close a central space defined by the shell, said members in said opening movement adapted to slide into the spaces defined by the said false ends and the said ends, and a receptacle within said frame spaced from the false ends, bottom, and sides thereof by insulation and being fixed relative thereto by a removable connection between end walls of the receptacle and the said false ends, said receptacle being removable from said frame after displacing the said top and disconnecting the said connection.

HOMER STEPHENS. 

